August 3rd - Reflection

Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:8 (NRSV)
Death comes to all

Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals. For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?

Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed - with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power - with no one to comfort them. And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person's envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Fools fold their hands
and consume their own flesh.
Better is a handful with quiet
than two handfuls with toil,
and a chasing after wind.

Again, I saw vanity under the sun: the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. "For whom am I toiling," they ask, "and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

Reflection
When you live life for yourself and nothing else, you will live life in vain. You will live, die, and turn to dust. That's it! But God didn't give us life to waste it on ourselves. God gave us life to live for God.

Jesus didn't live, suffer and die for our sins just for us to live to ourselves and die and turn to dust. Jesus lived, died and rose again that we may have new life. We are renewed in this life we live through Jesus gift of life in his death on the cross. We no longer are in bondage to sin. Sure, sin still exists, and selfishness is still all around; but we are no longer trapped in the punishment. We are free to love and live a new life in Christ. A life free from the consequences of sin that permits us to love God and love one another in and  through deeds and acts of love.

Our new found pleasure and joy is the love of God for us through Jesus and the love of God we have through the gifts of the Holy Spirit for those lives God places before us each day. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I give you thanks for your gracious acts through Jesus. Now I have a new life of joy to live for you and for those you give to me each day. Thanks! --- Amen